This invention relates to an apparatus and method for removing a floorboard from an installed wooden or other type of flooring. In one particular aspect, the invention provides a router bit configured so as to separate a floorboard from the base upon which it is mounted, thereby facilitating removal of the floorboard. The invention is also for a method whereby a floorboard can be removed from its previously installed position.
Wood floors and floorboards are commonly and widely used in residential, commercial and industrial settings. In a typical format, wood floors comprise a plurality of elongate planks which are laid alongside each other so that their edges abut, and wherein a plurality of these planks effectively cover an entire surface. In order that the individual planks are properly located with respect to each other, as well as the base on which they are mounted, a tongue-in-groove configuration is used between adjacent floorboards. In other words, a particular plank will have two long edges, with one of these edges having a projecting tongue, and the opposite edge having a recessed groove, both the tongue and groove running along the entire length of the particular plank. When planks are laid alongside each other during installation, they are fitted together so that the tongue running alongside the edge of one floorboard is received within the groove of an adjacent plank. The tongues and grooves are positioned on each plank such that the long edges of the adjacent planks closely abut one another, and further so that the upper surface of the multiple planks which constitute the floor present a flush effect and appearance. In this way, the complete upper surface defined by the plurality of floorboards is therefore a smooth one.
It often happens that one particular floorboard, or a series of adjacent floorboards or planks, may become damaged by, for example, buckling or bending due to water, or severely scarred due to excessive use, or dented or chipped as a result of the accidental falling of a heavy object thereon. Further, a particular plank or series of planks may become discolored or otherwise tarnished, making it desirable to replace only a section of the flooring, without removing the remaining larger portion.
In installing wooden flooring on a base, which would typically comprise a concrete base, the lower surface of each floorboard is glued to the upper surface of the base. Therefore, a particular plank in a floorboard installation would be securely held in position not only by the tongue-and-groove attachment to its adjacent planks in the flooring, but also due to the strong adhesive effects of a layer of glue between the lower surface of the plank and the base.
The tongue-and-groove interrelationship between adjacent planks in the flooring, as well as the glue adhering the lower surface of the floorboards to the base on which the flooring is mounted, make it extremely difficult and time-consuming to remove a plank or small sections of flooring. It is impossible to simply lift up a single plank, since a plank is attached through the tongue-and-groove to its adjacent planks, and, even so, the glue keeps the plank firmly on the base.
Current methods for removing a particular plank or small section of flooring from a larger portion involve very time-consuming procedures. The particular plank must be carefully chipped away, one small piece at a time, and the operation is a very delicate one since removal can damage the tongue running along the edge of an adjacent floorboard. This is, of course, an undesirable development since it is advantageous to protect and preserve the tongue and the groove so that it can be used to facilitate proper installation of the new planks. Furthermore, such methods may result in surfaces of surrounding planks and/or boards being damaged as the perimeter edge of the repair area is chipped or pried away. Still further, damage to an adjacent board to remain can easily occur as the board to be removed is pried at an angle, or rotated out, thereby applying pressure to the remaining board.
During repair operations, the combination of the glue and the tongue-and-groove configuration of the planks therefore frequently results in damage to planks not intended for removal due to the delicate and fragile nature of the tongue, which makes it easily breakable, especially after it has been installed for considerable periods of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,581 (Takashima) describes an apparatus for cutting hardwood flooring strips and an adjustable jig guiding a router to cut hardwood flooring strips while they are still attached to the floorboards, so that a portion of the hardwood floor can be replaced. The router in Takashima simply drills out preset areas of floorboard, including running across planks, so that a block can be removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,614 (Osborne) describes a laid flooring end-jointer, and provides a router for jointing the end of a laid floorboard. The router provides a straight cut, and ensures that a jointing cut of a particular length is made on the end of a selected floorboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,166 (Ranas) describes a 45xc2x0 miter undercutter bit for making a 45xc2x0 angled miter, while U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,269 (Ogawa) teaches a cutting tool for a honeycomb core, and including a plurality of spiral blades formed of a cylindrical body. U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,062 (Motzer) describes a shank type cutter of a hard material, having a shaft for mounting in a chuck, and a head, having cutting areas about the circumference of the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,278,702 (Mallernee) describes a floor tool for removing floorboards to install electric wires and the like, while U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,019 (Bailey) shows a cutting tool attachment for drill presses. This allows for interchangeable cutting means for producing molding of various sizes, shapes and designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,299 (Holder) teaches a cutter attachment for removing floor covering from a surface. Typically, three cutting attachments, each driven by a hydraulic motor, are utilized together to move a floor covering which may be linoleum, tile, grout or the like. The three cutting attachments are arranged in a triangle so that the cutting path of one cutting attachment overlaps the cutting path of the other two. This apparently makes the apparatus capable of adjusting to the contours of the surfaces on which the floor covering is mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,324 (Lounds) teaches the use of a router bit positioned through a material and over a sheet of underlying material. This facilitates the use of precise cutting of a sheet of inlay material.
The present invention is for an apparatus and method for facilitating removal of a particular plank or series of planks within a wooden floor.
The apparatus of the invention is in the form of a specifically designed router bit which is configured so as to fit into one space between the lower surface of the floorboard or plank, and the base upon which the floorboard is mounted. This space is often filled with glue. The router therefore destroys the layer of glue, and thereby makes it considerably easier to simply pull out a piece of floorboard without destroying the tongue-and groove structure of the floorboards which are to remain.
Preferably, the router bit will operate in a drill such as a multi-purpose cutting tool. For optimal results, the router bit of the invention is preferably used with a router. In hardwood repair applications, the router bit will work with any engineered plank floor and will fit almost any router currently available on the market.
The method of the invention provides a series of procedures for removing a specific plank. The method requires that an inside portion of the plank be removed to leave a rectangular or other shaped hole in the floorboard. The only remaining portion of the floorboard to be removed comprises a somewhat thin, peripheral portion. The router bit of the invention is then placed within the hole, and activated so as to destroy the layer of glue between the floorboard/plank and the base upon which it is mounted. Destruction and removal of this glue makes it a simple matter to disengage the remaining portion of the floorboard plank from its adjacent planks.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a routing bit for removing a floorboard from the base upon which it is mounted, the routing bit comprising: an elongate shaft having an axis, the shaft having one end adapted for connection to a tool for rotating the shaft, and an opposing end; and a blade member connected to the opposing end of the shaft, the blade being positioned for cutting in a plane substantially transverse to the axis of the shaft, the blade member comprising a body portion and at least one cutting edge located on the body portion.
Preferably, the routing bit further comprises a spacing member located on the shaft and adjacent the blade member, the spacing member comprising a surface for engaging a portion of the floorboard to space and guide the routing bit. The spacing member may comprise an O-ring mounted on the shaft and rotatable independently with respect to the shaft and the blade member.
The routing bit may further comprise a projection on the blade member, the projection keeping the blade spaced, in use, from the surface on which it is located.
The blade may comprise: two substantially opposing arm members, each arm member having a cutting edge thereon; a substantially circular portion with cutouts so as to define a pair of opposing tooth portions, each tooth portion having a cutting edge thereon; a substantially circular portion with a plurality of tooth portions at the periphery thereof, each tooth portion having a cutting edge; and/or a central portion of circular shape, and a four outwardly projecting arms, each arm being at right angles to adjacent arms, each arm having a cutting edge thereon.
The platform may be of circular shape, triangular shape or some other shape.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for removing at least a portion of a floorboard from a plurality of floorboards installed on a surface base, the method comprising: isolating the floorboard or portion thereof for removal; removing a central portion of the isolated floorboard so as to leave a pair of elongate lateral strips, a pair of end portions and a substantially central open space; locating a routing bit having a shaft and a blade portion such that the blade portion is parallel to, and cuts in, the same plane as the surface base on which the floorboard is installed; and placing the blade beneath the lateral strips and end portions so as to remove all material between a lower surface of the floorboard and the base upon which it is installed.
The method may further comprise the step of placing a spacer on the routing bit, the spacer abutting and engaging the isolated floorboard, so as to stabilize the position and operation of the routing bit. Preferably, the blade is slightly elevated off the surface base by means of a projecting platform on the blade.